Your Church Needs You!

ST-STEPHEN'S

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

c/r Verona & Japie Streets

ROSETTENVILLE.

JANUARY 2018.

YOUR CHURCH NEEDS – YOU!

A wonderful Congregational lunch was held at St Stephens, on the 4 th December 2017. A big thank you to Iona and her team. Well done. A presentation was given by Piet Pistorius and Tom Smith, as to the goals, aims and mission of the Church over the next 2 years. The basis of the presentation was on Piet's sermons on Gifts of the Holy Spirit ending with an Involvement Concert.

POSSIBLE CHURCH GOALS.

To increase Church Membership / attendance by 30%

To increase the number of people attending Bible Study.

To become financially self-sustaining by monthly tithing. To establish a successful and sustainable youth ministry.

To establish a vibrant worship ethos in which members are enthusiastically involved and not just attending.

These goals are not impossible, but they need participation by all St Stephens members.

SMALL STEPS….

Revisit the ministerial vacancy.

Implement an enhanced website with an interactive Bible Study platform.

Increased Bible Study

Improved communication

Improved outreach initiatives e.g. Soup Kitchen

Increased pastoral care. Increased attendance.

OTHER SERVING OPPORTUNITIES.

Sound and projection

Welcoming committee

Bible studies / Connect groups

Catering and décor.

Sunday school and Youth ministry.

Church communication strategies including wayside pulpit.

Fund raising.

Please consider all these opportunities prayerfully, and think of a way you could get more involved. St Stephens is a vital Church of long standing, and in order to keep it functioning more efficiently, we need you. By getting involved you interact with other Christians, thus widening your outlook to God's work and mission in your Community. Thank you to all those who are already serving meaningfully and making a difference.

GOD’S PROMISE.

Do as you promised.

2 Samuel 7:25

God’s promises were never meant to be thrown aside like wastepaper. He wants them to be used. Nothing pleases our Lord more than to see His promises put in circulation.

When a Christian grasps a promise, if he does not take it to God, he dishonoursHim. But when he rushes to the throne of grace and cries, “This is all I must stand on – Your promise,” then his desire is granted.

Don’t think that God will be bothered when you keep reminding Him of His promises. Does the fountain get tired of flowing? No. God loves to hear the requests of needy souls. It is His nature to keep His promises. He delights in giving out favour’s. He is readier to hear than you are to ask.

We have changed the content slightly of the Insight sheet. This is your Church mouthpiece. We would love to hear personal stories of how you have been healed, blessed or comforted in any situation you have experienced. Family stories, new children, Grandchildren, in-laws, out-laws etc. Please use this medium to communicate to your Christian family, as to what is going on in your life. Write it down,

e-mail it, or even give Sue a call and shell shall willingly transfer it into print. Even a favourite recipe is welcome. Hoping to hear from you soon.

I would personally like to thank the Music Group for the best Christmas present ever. The St Stephens CD – serving HIM in Song is amazing. One of the benefits of living alone is that you can play your music loud and for as long as you like. I put on the CD and turn up the volume and I can hear the songs as I do my chores, singing along seems compulsory, so it certainly puts a new slant on “making a joyful noise…! Thanks guys for all the practising and hard work you put into this task. it is so rewarding.

Lorna Murray

Anniversaries.

8thTom & Glynis Harrison ((18yrs)

10th Piet & Rose Pistorius (37yrs)

26th Keith & Beverley Brewster (45yrs)

Birthdays.

Please remember our old timers (and sometimes lonely) Andre & Lou Harris, Jack & Ann Kok, Bunty Martin, Helen Mackie, Henry Muller,

Charles Nixon, Joan Richardson, Elaine Sinclair, Greta Smit, Jean Taylor, Hettie Warwick, Edith Welsh, Ian & Ellen Wood. friends and family, St. Stephen's members and the needy box. Cash donationsare always welcome - Iona Todd is your contact.

A new life for a new year

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3: 5,6)

You receive a new day and a new year from the hand of God. In addition, He also promises to accompany you along this unknown road. Today is once again the beginning of the rest of your life and decisions that you make today may have far-reaching effects for the rest of your life.

Therefore, it will not be a waste of time to spend some time constructively in God’s presence. Consider the past under the scrutinising and revealing eye of the Holy Spirit. Discover and confess those hidden sins and accepted weaknesses which, till now, you refused to acknowledge, or thought you could do nothing about.

Start the year with a session of confession which will let you enter a real experience of God’s forgiveness. This is how you prepare yourself for God’s guidance.

This new life is founded on total trust in the risen Christ. Surrender fully to Him.

Happy New Year 2018